JPS62147464A - Eletrophotographic sensitive body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a clear record of the titled body by inserting an amorphous silicon carbide or an amorphous silicon nitride between a photoconductive layer composed of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer and a surface layer composed of an amorphous boron nitride layer. CONSTITUTION:The alumite layer 2 composed of a barrier layer 2a having 100Angstrom film thickness and a porous layer 2b having 1mum film thickness, and the boron dopted hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer 3 having 20mum film thickness and 9.3atm% hydrogen content is deposited on the surface of the porous layer 2b as the photoconductive layer by means of a plasma CVD method. The amorphous silicon nitride layer 4 having 100Angstrom film thickness is deposited on the layer 3 as the intermediate layer. And, the hydrogen contg. amorphous boron nitride layer 5 having 1,500Angstrom film thickness is deposited on the layer 4 as the surface layer. The layer 3, the layer 4 and the layer 5 may be formed continuously and successively by changing a reactive gas. Thus, the titled body having the clear recording image may be obtd.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor, and (6) relates to a structure of an electrophotographic photoreceptor for preventing flow.

[Prior art J3 and its problems] In recent years, heat-resistant,
Because of its excellent abrasion resistance, non-pollution, and photosensitivity characteristics, an amorphous silicon layer or an amorphous silicon layer doped with hydrogen or the like is used as a photoconductive layer. Silicon-based electrophotographic photoreceptors are attracting increasing attention.

Conventionally, as an amorphous silicon-based electrophotographic photoreceptor, one in which aluminum is used as a support and an amorphous silicon layer is formed as a photoconductive layer on the surface of the support has been widely used. Since this amorphous silicon does not have sufficient adhesion to aluminum, the present inventors applied an arunite treatment (oxidation treatment) to the surface of the aluminum 11 in advance, as shown in FIG. The porous layer 12b made of an anhydrous amorphous aluminum oxide layer having a large number of micropores is coated with the porous layer 12b, and the hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer 13 is directly deposited without any sealing treatment. I am trying to take measures to increase my N-ness.

Then, as a surface layer on top of this hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer, an amorphous boron nitride layer 14 (a-BN) with excellent insulation properties, low light absorption, anti-reflection function, and resistance to environmental changes is formed. I'm trying to form it.

By the way, in electrophotography, recording is performed in the following manner. First, by corona discharge, a uniform 'r
Exposure with f1 grapes applied. Then, one electron-hole pair is created in the photoconductive layer by light absorption due to exposure, and this electron-hole pair is moved by the charge on the surface, and the charge pair remains only in the unexposed region (formation of a latent image). The electric field 'IJ' which the latent image formed in this way exerts to the outside beyond the surface layer of the light is also due to the electric lines of force, and the toner having the opposite electric power is attracted and adheres to the latent image surface. is converted to 2. This visible image is then transferred to the recording paper.
However, there was a problem in that image drift or porosity occurred, making it impossible to record clearly.

It is believed that the staining is due to the electric lines of force being attenuated by the presence of the photoconductive layer J3J and the surface layer, but 4' was considered to be the solution to this problem.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate image drift or blurring and perform clear tJ recording.

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in the present invention, amorphous silicon carbide or amorphous silicon nitride (iLI) is interposed as an intermediate layer between the photoconductor layer consisting of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer and the surface layer consisting of an amorphous boron nitride layer. , Meru J: I'm making a sea urchin.

[Effect]

It is believed that the above configuration suppresses the attenuation of the lines of electric force generated by exposure, making it possible to form a clear latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor.

〔effect〕

In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a clear recorded image without image drift or blur.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 1, this electrophotographic photoreceptor is processed into a suitable cylindrical shape as a support, and has an alumite layer 2 of purity 9, which is chemically free of water, formed on its surface.
9.5'% or more of aluminum 1 was used, and a hydrogen-containing tank 9 with a crotch thickness of 20 μm was used as a photoconductive layer on the surface of the alumite layer.
．． 3 atm% hydrogenated amorphous silicon so-called 3 (a
-3i: If), amorphous silicon nitrite with a film thickness of 100A as the intermediate layer>I(a-SiN)4,
It is made by sequentially laminating alphus boron nitride 5 (a-BN) containing hydrogen as a surface layer.

The alumite layer is composed of a dense barrier layer made of crystalline aluminum oxide with a thickness of 100A and a porous layer made of anhydrous amorphous aluminum oxide with a thickness of 1μ and having many micropores. It has a double structure.

Next, a method for manufacturing this electrophotographic photoreceptor will be explained.

First, pure aluminum processed into an appropriate shape such as a cylinder is used as an anode as a support, and electrolytic treatment is performed using sulfuric acid or oxalic acid as an electrolyte.
As shown in FIG. 2(a), a barrier layer 2 with a thickness of 100A
An alumite layer 2 consisting of a and a porous layer 2b having a thickness of 1 μm is formed. At this time, the electrolysis voltage was 10~20V, the electrolysis time was 2 minutes~30 minutes, the temperature of the electrolyte was 10~25℃,
The current density was 10 to 20%, and the current density was 1 to 2 Δ/dm.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the alumite layer 2 is coated with the porous layer 2 without any sealing treatment.
As a photoconductive layer, a boron-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon film 3 having a thickness of 2 μm and containing Q'+g and containing 3 atm % is deposited on the surface of the photoconductive layer by plasma CVD. The film deposition conditions at this time were: substrate (support) humidity: 325℃9
Reactive gas: silane (SiH4) and diborane (82H6)
Mixed gas, gas pressure: 1.0 Torr, gas flow rate: 5
it-1101005c, B2B21-1650se.

High frequency: 13.56MIIz, high frequency electric crab 100W. The hydrogen content in the formed layer depends on the substrate temperature. The relationship between the substrate temperature and hydrogen content is as shown in FIG.

Then, as an intermediate layer, J,
Four amorphous silicon hydride layers 4 with a thickness of 100 Å are prepared. At this time, the film deposition conditions were as follows: substrate temperature: 325
°C2 reaction gas; silane (SiH) and ammonia (NH3
') mixed gas.

Gas rf: 1.0 Torr, gas flow ffi: Si
l-1450sec, NH350sec, high frequency: 13.56MHz, high frequency: 100W. (Figure 2 (C)) Furthermore, a surface layer with a thickness of 15
00A hydrogen-containing amorphous boronoid layer 5
Deposit a film. At this point, the deposited film strip 1'1 has a substrate temperature of 32
5℃2 Reactant gas: diborane (B2H6) and ammonia (
13) mixed gas.

Gas pressure 1.0 Torr, gas flow ffi: '1132H,
3100sccm, N1-1350sec, high frequency frequency: 13.56M)-1z, high frequency electric crab 100W.

These include hydrogenated amorphous silicon 1☆3, amorphous silicon nitride Vf44. Formation of the amorphous boron nitride layer can be performed sequentially and continuously by switching the reaction gas.

When depositing a film, first, the support is set in a reaction chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus, and vacuum suction is applied to about 10'Torr.

After stabilizing the temperature of the support at 325°C, adjust the flow using a mass flow controller. -1, a mixed gas was introduced into the reaction chamber, and the inside of the reaction chamber was set at 1.0 TOrr using a gas pressure controller.

In this state, the support is grounded and a film is deposited by applying high frequency power while performing impedance matching using a matching box.

Then, when the desired film thickness is reached, the introduction of high frequency power and reaction gas is stopped.

The above operations are repeated to sequentially form three layers.

Finally, after vacuuming the inside of the reaction chamber, the heating of the support is stopped, and the support is taken out from the reaction chamber after leaking.

Table 1 shows the relationship between the film thickness and the image characteristics when only the film thickness of the amorphous silicon nitride layer serving as the intermediate layer was changed in this photoreceptor.

In Table I, "◎" indicates "extremely good θI'J,""○" indicates "good,""Δ" indicates "successful," and "×" indicates "unsatisfactory." From this table, it can be seen that the thickness of the amorphous silicon nitride layer is desirably 200 OA or less.

Table 1 Also, in the surface layer and the middle layer, people, Alf? Suboron nitride layer and a [Schiff2F99121485
Surface potential when using 41 layer, when only amorphous silicon night wide layer is used for the surface layer (no intermediate layer), and when only 71 rufus boron nitride is used for the surface layer (without intermediate layer) , photosensitivity, and image characteristics comparison data of amorphous silicon nitride, surface 1ζ
・The surface potential, photosensitivity, and image characteristics are all the same when amorphous boron nitride is used.

On the other hand, when only an amorphous silicon nyl-ride layer is used, the surface potential and photosensitivity are insufficient, and when only an amorphous boron nyl-ride layer is used, image blurring occurs.

Furthermore, Table H shows image characteristics when varying the nitrogen content IB of the amorphous silicon nitride layer.

Table 1 From this table, it can be seen that it is desirable that the nitrogen-containing nitrogen content be 4Qat% or less.

The photoreceptor thus formed can perform clear recording without causing image drift or blurring due to the presence of an intermediate layer.

Furthermore, the adhesion strength between the optical S multilayer and the support was sufficient, and the photoelectric properties were also extremely good.

By the way, the film thicknesses of the barrier ff12a and the porous N2b in the alumite layer are variable depending on the reaction condition f1 in the anodic oxidation step, but by changing the formation conditions of the alumite layer by anodic oxidation, the film thickness α of the barrier layer 2a, The relationship between the film thickness β of the porous layer 2b, the adhesion force (to the photo-S electric layer), and the photoelectric properties is shown in Table (2). In Table ■, r
OJ indicates "excellent", rXJ indicates "inferior", and "Δ" indicates [not excellent, but does not cause any practical problems]. .

Table ■ From this table ■, the thicker the porous V1 layer is, the more effective it is in terms of adhesion, but if we also take into account the photoelectric properties,
It can be seen that it is preferable to keep it to the level of employment. Further, the thinner the barrier layer is, the better, but as long as it is in the range of 10A to 500A, there will be no problem in terms of photoelectric properties.

In addition, when forming the photoconductive layer, by changing the reaction and gas composition, the hydrogen ff1 (at%) in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer is changed to form a photoreceptor, and the amount of hydrogen and The relationship with chargeability (V/μ) was measured. The results are shown in FIG. The vertical axis is chargeability,
The horizontal axis is the amount of hydrogen. As is clear from this figure, particularly good results are obtained when the hydrogen content is 20 at% or less, particularly in the range of 5 to 13 at%.

In this way, a cylinder made of pure aluminum on which an alumite layer containing no crystal water is formed is used as a support, and a cylinder made of pure aluminum is coated with light W? The photoreceptor has a hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer as an ff layer, an amorphous silicon nitride layer as an intermediate layer, and an amorphous boron nitride layer as a surface layer, and has no image drift and excellent adhesive charging characteristics. It is extremely excellent in terms of etc.

In the embodiment, an amorphous silicon nitrite layer was used as the intermediate layer, but an amorphous silicon carbide layer may also be used.

Further, the thickness α of the barrier layer in the alumite layer on the surface of the support was set to 10 OA, and the thickness β of the porous layer was set to 1 μm, but the barrier layer may not be provided, and the photoelectric properties are improved by making it as thin as possible. is always formed during alumite treatment, so 10A≦α≦500A, O<0
Processing conditions may be selected so that the thickness falls within the range of 65 μm.

Further, the hydrogen-containing mC of the photoconductive layer is C11≦20at%,
It may be appropriately selected within the range of preferably 5 at%≦C11≦13 at%, and more preferably 7 at%≦C11≦10 at%.

Furthermore, regarding the film thickness t of the photoconductive layer, 5 μm≦t≦80
It is sufficient to select 1 as appropriate within the range of μmn.

Additionally, the boron doping level in the photoconductive layer may be appropriately selected within the range of 10 at% to 1O-5a1%.

In addition, it is desirable to have a surface layer of amorphous boron nitride, and when BN is used, 1
-x should be within the range of 0.2≦X≦0.8.

And the film thickness d is also 0.01μm≦d≦10μm,
It is preferable that 0.05 μm≦d≦5 μTrL.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the cross section of the photoreceptor according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the substrate temperature and the hydrogen content in the layer during the formation of the conductive layer, FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the hydrogen m in the photoconductive layer and the charging ability, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing comparative data of surface potential, photosensitivity, and image characteristics between a photoreceptor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a conventional photoreceptor, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a conventional photoreceptor. 1, 11...Pure aluminum cum, 2a...Barrier layer, 2b, 12b...Porous layer, 2...Alumite layer, 3, 13...Hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer, 4.
・・Amorphous silicon nitride factory, 5, 14・
...Amorphous boron nitride layer. j:;47' ・ ・, t:1 Applicant's agent Takahisa Kimura. Figure 1 Figure 2 (Q) Figure 2 (b) Substrate temperature (''C) Figure 3 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A support made of pure aluminum whose surface is covered with a porous layer, that is, an amorphous anhydrous aluminum oxide layer, and a hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer (a-Si:H) formed on the surface of the support. ) and amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN) or amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiN) laminated on the photoconductive layer.
An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising: an intermediate layer made of (a-SiC); and a surface layer made of amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) containing hydrogen and further laminated on the intermediate layer.